Sliding car door guide closure



ioct. 15, 1935. MADLAND 2,017,601

SLIDING CAR DOOR GUIDE CLOSURE Filed May 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct.15, 1935. T. MADLAND SLIDING CAR DOOR GUIDE CLOSURE Filed May 16, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 -f/v VENTOE- THOEVALD MADLAND (2) W 40 ATTX Patented Oct.15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDING CAR DOOR GUIDE CLOSURE ofOhio Application May 16, 1934, Serial No. 725,841

18 Claims.

This invention relates to guides for sliding doors and is directedprimarily to guides for sliding car doors of the type which must beelevated relative to a supporting track for disposition uponantifriction means prior to sliding movement.

Car doors of the straight sliding kind have long been utilized uponrailway house cars. These doors utilize hangers embodying antifrictionmeans such as rollers for supporting the doors for sliding movement upontracks carried by the cars below the door openings controlled by thedoors. The antifriction means in straight sliding doors of thischaracter carry the weight of the doors at all times. One form of trackfrequently employed with these doors is substantially chaimel shaped insection, the flanges of which are of unequal size. The larger of theflanges is utilized to fasten the track to the car while the web of thetrack serves as the tread. The smaller flange is disposed outwardly ofthe attaching flange and cooperates with hook shaped formations providedon the door hangers which receive said flange to guide the door in itsmovement upon the track and to prevent disengagement of the door fromthe track.

Experience has proved the desirability of this type of track and thecooperative relationship between the track and hanger above set forth.However, with the commercial introduction of sliding car doors of thelift type embodying rollers and roller housings therefor which arejournaled eccentrically to the door there developed certain conditionswhich were believed to preclude the use of this track. The door of theleft type is frictionally supported upon the track except when the dooris actually being moved upon the track when it is supported uponantifriction means. The door is normally biased to frictional engagementwith the track and may be elevated above the track and supported uponantifriction means by lift mechanism incorporating the antifrictionmeans. When-the channel shaped tracks were attempted to be used withdoors including such lift mechanism while maintaining the interlockingrelationship between the hangers and the smaller flange of the track itwas found that the desired elevation of the door could not be obtainedand at the same time maintain a sufficient interlocking relationship toinsure against disengagement of the door from the track. Increasing thedepthof the smaller flange to provide for proper conditions resulted ininterference with the fastening of 5 the track to the car since saidflange prevented driving of the securing rivets which extended throughthe larger flange. There was necessitated, consequently, an increase inthe depth of the larger flange and an increase in the size of 10 thetrack brackets which supported the tracks upon the cars. This increasein size involved an increase in cost which was prohibitive. As aconsequence, the art was compelled to adopt an angle shaped track, oneleg of which was ar- 15 ranged horizontally for securement to the carand the other leg disposed vertically and extending downwardly. Amodification in design of track supporting brackets was necessitated andeven with this track an increase in depth of 20 the downwardly extendingflange was required to insure proper engagement thereof with the hookshaped portions of the hangers and to permit desired elevation of thedoor.

Similarly, attempts were made to design a lift 25 mechanism of thecharacter described which would effectively cooperate with the channelshaped track and which could be utilized with the angle shaped trackwhile eliminating the increase in depth of the downwardly extendingflange. These attempts, however, led only to more complex and expensivehangers which failed of solution of the problem.

It will be apparent, however, that while the invention is concernedprimarily with lift mechanism of the character above described certainfeatures of construction of the guide closures are such as to permit theuse of these closures with doors of the lift type regardless of theparticular characteristics of the lift mechanism utilized upon suchdoors.

This invention has for its object to provide a lift door capable ofutilizing the simple and comparatively. inexpensive form of liftmochanism set forth and together with the channel shaped track abovereferred to or the angle shaped track; to provide such a doorconstructed to insure satisfactory engagement with said track for theretention of said door upon the track said track; to provide for thedesired amount of elevation of the door and to provide such a doorconstruction which shall not impede the sliding movement of said door.

In the attainment of these objects and others which will become clear asthe description of the invention proceeds it is preferred to utilize aplurality of guides carried by the door in such manner as to be capableof vertical movement relative to the door and constructed to presenthook shaped portions which sufficiently interlock with the smaller ofthe flanges of the described channel shaped track to guide the door andprevent its disengagement from the track. I

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a railway house car having asliding lift door mounted thereon embodying the invention, the doorbeing illustrated in its lowered track engaging position;

Figure 2 is a View similar toFigure 1 showing the door in its elevatedposition;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, the doorbeing in'lowered position;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3 showing the door in elevatedposition;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the numeral l9 designates a portion of a railway house carupon which is mounted a door ll adapted to control the opening l2 formedin the side of said car. As illustrated, the door may be of metallicconstruction and may embody a metallic panel 53 provided with spacedhorizontal corrugations I l, the ends of which preferably merge intovertical corrugations l5 and. I6 formed adjacent the vertical edges ofthe door. Y

The door H which, as illustrated, is of the lift type, is adapted to besupported upon the car side by means of a track I! secured to the sidesill l8 of the underframing of the car by means of a plurality ofbrackets 19 to which the track is secured as by means of rivets 20. InFigures 1 and 3 of the drawings the door is illustrated in frictionalengagement with the track, a position which it automatically assumeswhenever the door is not being moved upon the track to open or closedposition. For the purpose of obtaining such opening or closing movementof the door mechanism is provided upon the door which is customarilyknown as lift mechanism.

The particular lift mechanism illustrated comprises a plurality ofspaced rollers 2| and 22. These rollers are disposed upon the track Hand are rotatably mounted in roller housings 23 and 24, each of which isprovided with oppositely extending trunnions 25 and 26 by means of whichthe roller housings are adapted to be journaled eccentrically upon thedoor. It is to be observed that these trunnions are disposed in offsetrelationship to the pins 21 by means of which each roller is mountedupon its roller housing. The roller housing 23 is journalled in thepanel of the door and in a cover plate 28 secured to the "door while theroller housing 24 is journaled to the metallic panel l3 and to a coverplate 29 secured to the door. Simultaneous operation of the rollerhousings 23 and 24 is obtained by means of a connecting bar 30 which ispreferably disposed in the lower of the horizontal corrugations l4provided in the door without necessity of increasing dimensions ofpanel. The connecting bar extends through the open ends of thehorizontal corrugation, the ends of said bar being flat as indicated at3| and 32 for engagement in any desired manner with projections 33 and34 provided, respectively, on 5 the roller housings 23 and 24. Anoperating lever 35, secured to the roller housng 23 preferably byengagement with the trunnion 26, which extends outwardly of the coverplate 28 through an opening provided therein, is utilized to effectrotation 10 of the roller housings 23 and 24 about their rollers asfulcrums and consequent elevation of the door above the track forsupport upon said rollers. When the support of the door has beentransferred from the track to the rollers the 15 door may then veryreadily be moved toward open or closed position.

The track I! utilized to support the door upon the car side is theconventional channel shaped track disposed with its web 36 in ahorizontal 20 plane so as to serve as the tread for'the track and thelegs 31 and 38 thereof extending downwardly in spaced vertical planes.In this conventional type of track the leg 31 is of greater depth thanthe leg 38 and constitutes the at- 25 taching leg for the track. It isto be observed from Figure 3 of the drawings, that the relationship ofthe depth of the legs 31 and 38 of the track I! is such as to permit ofdriving of the fastening rivets 20 without interference from the 30 leg38. The smaller leg 38 in tracks of this character is customarilyutilized for interlocking relationship with hook shaped members providedon the door in order to prevent accidental disengagement of the doorfrom the track and con- 85 sequent loss of the door from the car. Thisis true where such tracks are used to support doors upon railway housecars, these doors being of the straight sliding type. However, greatdifflculty was experienced in attempting to carry this con- 40 structioninto doors of the lift type without considerably increasing the cost ofthe door. This is particularly true when the lift mechanism used uponthe lift type of door embodied roller housings iournaled upon the door.45

The instant invention overcomes the diificulty above noted. To this endthere is provided a plurality of guides 39 secured to the door adjacentthe cover plates 28 and 29. Each of these guides comprises preferably avertically extend- 60 ing flange 40 provided with an outwardly directedrib 4|. A horizontal flange 42 extends outwardly from the lower portionof the vertically extending flange 40 and is adapted to be supportedupon the tread 36 of the track IT. A 55 substantially hooked shapedportion 43 extends downwardly from the horizontal flange 42 and isadapted to be disposed in interlocking relationship with the downwardlyextending flange 38 of the track l1, as clearly illustrated in Figure 360 of the drawings.

Each of the guides 39 is maintained upon the lower margin of the door IIby means of a bracket 44 which is rigidly secured to the door. Thebracket 44 is associated with its guide in 65 such manner that the dooris capable of relative vertical movement with respect to the guide. Eachbracket 44 is provided with an inwardly extending rib 45 spacedvertically below the rib Al provided upon the guide. In other words,each 70 guide is loosely retained upon the door between the metallicpanel and the bracket 44, disengagement of the guide from the door beingobviated by means of the overlapping ribs and 45 provided, respectively,upon the guide and its bracket. These ribs in addition serve for apurpose hereinafter set forth.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that lift mechanismof the character described may be utilized in conjunction with a trackof the character set forth. The door in its normal position isfrictionaily supported upon the track, as clearly shown in Figure 3 ofthe drawings. It will be apparent from this figure that sufficientoverlap is provided between the hook shaped portion 43 of each guide andthe depending flange 38 of the door supporting track to precludedisengagement of the door from the track. The door may be elevated abovethe track for support upon the rollers 2| and 22 by exerting a downwardpull upon the operating lever 35. By virtue of the connection providedbetween the roller housings 23 and '24 by the connecting bar 30 thesehousings will have imparted thereto simultaneous movement of rotationabout the rollers 2| and 22. As a result of this rotation of the rollerhousings the trunnions 25 and 25 provided thereon will impart a liftingmovement to the door and inasmuch as the door may move verticallyrelative to the guide 39 it will be apparent that complete elevation ofthe door may be obtained without interference between the guides and thesupporting track. It is manifest, therefore, that the dimensions of thetrack need not be increased in order to provide for elevation of thedoor. It is preferred, however, to lift the guide 39 slightly above thetrack in order to insure unimpeded movement of the door longitudinallyalong the track. For this purpose the ribs 4! and are so disposed thatengagement between them occurs during the final elevating movement ofthe door so that in the final elevating movement of the door lifting isimparted to the guide. However this slight lifting of the guide is notsufficient to impede sliding movement of the door. It will be apparent,however, that this lifting of the guides above the track need not beresorted to if not desired.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and. modifications in thedetails of the instant invention may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended,therefore, to comprehend all such changes and modifications within thepurview of this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope ofthe claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism comprising rollerhousings journaled eccentrically upon said door and rollers mounted onsaid housings, guide means for said door, said guide means being securedto said door so that said door is capable of vertical movement relativethereto, said guide means having interlocking relationship with saidtrack, said mechanism being operable to elevate said door relative tosaid guide means and said track for support upon said rollers.

2. In a railway house car, a track having a vertical downwardlyextending flange, a sliding door adapted to be frictionally supportedupon said track, lift mechanism comprising roller housings journaledeccentrically upon said door and rollers mounted on said housings, guidemeans for said door, said guide means being secured to said door so thatsaid door is capable of vertical movement relative thereto, said guidemeans having interlocking relationship with said track flange, saidmechanism being operable to elevate said door relative to said guidemeans and said track for support upon said rollers.

3. In a railway house car, a channel shaped track having verticaldownwardly extending flanges of unequal depth secured to the car, asliding door adapted to be frictionally supported upon said track, liftmechanism comprising roller housings journaled eccentrically upon saiddoor and rollers mounted on said housings, guide means for said door,said guide means being secured to said door so that said door is capableof vertical movement relative thereto, said guide means havinginterlocking relationship with the smaller flange of said track, saidmechanism being operable to elevate said door relative to said guidemeans and saidtrack for support upon said rollers.

4. In a railway house car,-a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism comprising rollerhousings journaled eccentrically upon said door and rollers mounted onsaid housings, guide means for said door, said guide means beingslidably secured to said door so that said door is capable of verticalmovement relative thereto, said guide means having interlockingrelationship with said track, said mechanism being operable to elevatesaid door relative to said guide means and said track for support uponsaid rollers.

5. In a railway house car a channel shaped track having verticaldownwardly extending flanges of unequal depth secured.- to the car, asliding door adapted to be frictionally supported upon said track, liftmechanism comprising roller housings journaled eccentrically upon saiddoor and rollers mounted on said housings, guide means for said door,said guide means being slidably secured to said door so that said dooris capable of vertical movement relative thereto, said guide meanshaving interlocking relationship with the smaller flange of said track,said mechanism being operable to elevate said door relative to saidguide means and said track for support upon said rollers.

6. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism comprising rollerhousings journaled eccentrically upon said door and rollers mounted on.said housings, guide means for said door, said guide means being securedto said door so that said door is capable of vertical movement relativethereto, said guide means being supported upon said track and having ahook shaped portion disposed in interlocking relationship with saidtrack, said mechanism being operable to elevate said door relative tosaid guide means and said track for support upon said rollers.

7. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism for said doorcomprising roller housings carrying rollers adapted to support said doorfor sliding movement upon said track, guide means secured to said doorin longitudinally spaced relation to said roller housings so that saiddoor is capable of vertical movement relative thereto, said guide meanshaving a hook shaped portion disposed in interlocking relationship withsaid track, said mechanism being operable to elevate said door relativeto said guide means and said track for support upon said rollers.

8. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism for said doorcomprising roller housings carrying rollers adapted to support said doorfor sliding movement upon said track, guide means supported upon saidtrack and slidably secured to said door in longitudinally spacedrelation to said roller housings, said guide means having a hook shapedportion disposed in interlocking relationship with said track, saidmechanism being operable to elevate said door relative to said guidemeans and said track for support upon said rollers.

9. In a railway house car, .a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism comprising rollerhousings journaled eccentrically upon said door and rollers mounmd onsaid housings, guide means for said door, said guide means comprising avertically extending flange, a horizontal flange and a hook shapedportion, means secured to said door and associated with said verticallyextending flange for slidably fastening said guide means to said door,said horizontal" flange resting upon said track and said hook shapedportion having interlocking engagement with said track, said mechanismbeing operable to elevate said door relative to said guide means andsaid track for support upon said rollers.

10. In a railway house car, a track, a sliding door adapted to befrictionally supported upon said track, lift mechanism comprising rollerhousings journaled eccentrically upon said door and rollers mounted onsaid housings, guide means for said door, said guide means comprising avertically extending flange, a horizontal flange and a hook shapedportion, means secured to said door and associated with said verticallyextending flange for slidably fastening said guide means to said door,said horizontal flange resting upon said track and said hook shapedportion having interlocking engagement with said track, said mechanismbeing operable to elevate said door relative to said guide means andsaid track for support upon said rollers, said vertically extendingflange and the fastening means associated therewith having cooperatingflanges engageable in the final elevating movement of the door to raisesaid horizontal flange above said track.

11. In a railway house car, the conventional channel shaped trackcharacterized by legs of unequal depth secured to said car, a slidingdoor adapted to be frictionally supported upon said track, liftmechanism comprising roller housings journaled eccentrically upon saiddoor and rollers mounted on said housings, guide means for said door,saidguide means being slidably secured to said door in spaced relationto said roller housings so that said door is capable of verticalmovement relative thereto, said guide means having a hook shaped portiondisposed in interlocking relationship with the smaller of the trackflanges, said mechanism being operable to elevate said door relative tosaid guide means and said track for support upon said rollers.

12. 'In a railway house car, the conventional channel shaped trackcharacterized by legs of unequal depth secured to said car, a slidingdoor adapted to be frictionally supported upon said track, liftmechanism comprising roller housings journaled eccentrically upon saiddoor and rollers mounted on said housings, guide means for said door,said guide means being slidably secured to said door in spaced relationto said roller housings so that said door is capable of verticalmovement relative thereto, said guide means having a hook shaped portiondisposed in interlocking relationship with the smaller of the trackflanges, said mechanism being operable to elevate said door relative tosaid guide means and said track for support upon said rollers, said 5guide means being supported upon said track, said door and guide meansbeing provided with cooperating flanges engageable in the flnalelevating movement of said door to raise said guide means verticallyrelative to said track. 10 13. In a railway house car, the conventionalchannel shaped track characterized by legs of unequal depth secured tosaid car, a sliding door adapted to be frictionally supported upon saidtrack, lift mechanism comprising roller housings l5 journaledeccentrically upon said door and rollers mounted on said housings, guidemeans for said door, said guide means being disposed in spaced relationto said roller housings, comprising a vertically extending flange, ahorizon- 20 tal flange and a hook shaped flange, a bracket secured tosaid door and associated with said vertically extending flange forslidably fastening said guide means to said door, said horizontal flangebeing supported upon said track and said 25.

hook shaped flange having interlocking relationship with the smaller ofthe track flanges, said mechanism being operable to elevate said doorrelative to said guide means and said track for support upon saidrollers. 30 14. In a railway house car, the conventional channel shapedtrack characterized by legs 01' unequal depth secured to said car, asliding door adapted to be frictionally supported upon said track, liftmechanism comprising roller housings 35 journaled eccentrically uponsaid door and rollers mounted on said housings, guide means for saiddoor, said guide means being disposed in spaced relation to said rollerhousings, comprising a vertically extending flange, a horizontal 40-flange and a hook shaped flange, a bracket secured to said door andassociated with said vertically' extending flange for slidably fasteningsaid guide means to said door, said horizontal flange being supportedupon said track and said 45 hook shaped flange having interlockingrelationship with the smaller of the track flanges, said mechanism beingoperable to elevate said door relative to said guide means and saidtrack for support upon said rollers,'said bracket and said to guidemeans being provided with horizontally overlapping flanges to preventdisengagement of said guide means from said door.

15. Guide means for horizontally sliding lift doors comprising a memberhaving a flange, a 55 second flange extending from said first flange anda hook shaped portion depending from said second flange, and a memberadapted to be secured to a door and associated with said first mentionedmember whereby said door will have 60 relative vertical movement wihtrespect to said first mentioned member during the vertical movement ofsaid door.

16. Guide means for horizontally sliding lift doors comprising a memberhaving a flange,asecond flange extending from said first flange and ahook shaped portion depending from said second flange, and amembenadapted to be secured to a door and slidably associated with saidvertical flange whereby said door will have relative vertical movementwith respect to said first mentioned member during vertical movement ofsaid door.

1'7. Guide means for horizontally sliding lift doors comprising a memberhaving a flange, a

second flange extending from said first flange and a hook shaped portiondepending from said second flange, and a member adapted to be secured toa door and slidably associated with said first flange whereby said doorwill have relative vertical movement with respect to said firstmentioned member during vertical movement of said door, said firstflange having a rib disposed in overlapping relationship with a rib 10provided on said second mentioned member.

18. Guide means for lift doors adapted to be supported for horizontallysliding movement upon a track comprising a member having a flange, ahook shaped portion adapted to have interlocking engagement with saidtrack and a. shoulder for supporting said member upon said track, and abracket adapted to be secured to said door, said bracket slidablyengaging said flange.

THORVALD MADLAND.

